Craft beer keeps growing, led by Boston Beer, Sierra Nevada

The craft beer revolution kept charging ahead in 2012, when 12 percent more barrels were shipped than the year before, the sixth straight year of growth.

Of 27 major craft brewers -- all of which saw some gain -- 16 had double digit increases, according to industry research group Beer Marketer's Insights' Craft Brew News publication.

In all, the craft beer industry enjoyed a 1.5 million barrel boost to 13.7 million barrels total.

Samuel Adams Boston Lager maker Boston Beer led the segment, with craft beer shipments rising as much as 3% to nearly 2.2 million barrels. But the company's share of the industry has slid to 15.7 percent from 21 percent in 2008, according to the report.

Sierra Nevada, a brewer based in Chico, is the second largest in the sector. It's 12.6 percent shipping gain to 966,000 barrels was its best advancement in more than a decade.

Petaluma brewer Lagunitas Brewing had a blockbuster year, with shipments booming 46 percent to 235,000 barrels. The company -- which makes labels such as Hop Stoopid Ale and Little Sumpin' Sumpin' Ale, has more than quintupled its shipments in five years.